Pathways Chapter 25
by TheVirtuoso
Summary: Tassos here on FFnet has a wonderful story called Pathways. This is an expanded version of Chapter 25. I think you could read it on its own but I would recommend reading Tassos' story anyway. Link is in my profile.


This is a little ficlit that examines part of called Pathways by Tassos. Bit of background: D'argo was injured and is recovering at the SGC. He, Aeryn and Crichton helped SG-1 back to their own universe after a gate malfunctioned. Two days into D'argo's unconscious recovery Area 51 got the paperwork necessary to take the Luxan to study. Crichton and Aeryn are not happy about this so this is what they do about it. Keep in mind that they have been with SG-1 for about a week.

The first paragraph and the entire dialog in this come directly from Tassos story. I have put quotes around their work. There is a few lines here and there that I changed or added, my words are in _Italics_.

The scene opens to Aeryn, Crichton and Daniel making their way to the infirmary to try and stop area 51. Loud voices greet them from a corridor away halting them for a moment…

""Back-up plan," John sighed. They turned to Daniel. John drew Winona, Aeryn drew her gun. "We're not going to hurt you," he said. Then before Daniel could say anything, John grabbed him into a headlock and rounded the corner. Five startled soldiers turned looked up and after a brief hesitation, raised their guns."

"Hey guys!" John called in Daniel's ear as the marginally larger man shifted his grip on the doctor. Jackson's left arm was pinned to his chest and Crichton's hand pressed Jackson's neck back into a leather-clad shoulder. "What do we have here? A moving out party and no one invited us?" Daniel's breath caught for an instant as he heard the manic edge creep into his captor's voice. The soldiers' guns stayed pointed at the pair but Jackson could just make out the shifting glances, one of them – a new recruit Jackson hadn't met yet – licked his lips nervously. "Drop your guns," Crichton bit out coolly, hard and not-quite sane. Not one of them moved.

Jackson could admit that he jumped when Aeryn shouted, "Now!" she was still half tucked behind the corner where she could beat a hasty retreat if she needed to. Her demand was punctuated with a warning shot to the wall by the new recruit's head. The smoldering mark reignited the nervous glances and brought a cessation of the arguing voices from within the infirmary.

"Hey do you like this guy or not?" John's question was accompanied by a shaking of the hand that held Jackson's pulse points. Daniel's muffled exclamation at the sudden movement brought another young airman into the hall, "Cause I ain't holdin' a candy bar here."

A Marine stepped to the front of the small crowd and called out, "Release Dr. Jackson, you have nowhere to go!"

"Fine, you want to call my bluff?" John shot the floor barely inches from Daniel's feet making the soldiers jump and Jackson loose his footing. If it weren't for Crichton's near stranglehold he likely would have fallen. Not that being caught by the neck was exactly pleasant. Beneath his fingers Crichton could feel the redoubling of Jackson's heart and he grinned as a thrill ran from Crichton's fingertips to his toes, "I can take him apart piece by piece." His voice was soft, sweet almost, "Now, move out of my way."

"Airman," Jack's calm voice filtered out of the open infirmary door, "Let him in." Immediately the soldiers guns dropped but they hesitated a second too long for Crichton: Winona left a second mark on the floor an inch closer to Jackson. Like the Red Sea for Moses the six airmen and marines in the hall split to let Crichton and his staff past. John liked that analogy... even though Jackson was not a piece of wood.

"Ah, ah bulldogs first," John pointed with his gun: there was no frelling way he was leaving his back to these guys, not even with Jackson as a hostage! After the six made their way into the infirmary John prodded Daniel forward with Winona pressed into his side. Aeryn was on their six with a professional air born of her Peacekeeper training.

Once the party was inside John watched as the medics and nurses were ushered into a small office space on the right while Dr. Frasier stayed with her patents eyeing Winona at Jackson's throat. The soldiers arrayed themselves around the room enclosing the foreigners in a loose semicircle. John glanced again at Frasier following her line of sight to his pistol, John hated using her too – especially on people he liked – but he just couldn't let something happen to D'argo! Tearing his eyes away from the doctor he looked at General Hammond and the new guy – general by his insignia – who wanted to take D'argo away. Looking at the new guy Crichton was struck by the realization that he was the only person who looked confused. Well maybe Jackson looked confused: Crichton couldn't really see his face. If he had been thinking straight the realization that no one was surprised wouldn't have been such a disappointment.

"What is this? Who are you?" The stranger demanded, his anger did its job and masked the confusion that had been written on his face.

At the same time Crichton mouthed quietly to Jack, "Sorry, it's easier when I take myself hostage," a manic grin played at the edge of his lips and around his eyes, "but I don't think you really care about me right now." Crichton felt Jackson's heart spike again as the Doctor's head pressed into Crichton's shoulder.

"John what are you doing?" Jack's voice was calm still despite the way his eyes flicked from John's face to his hand on Daniel's throat to the good doctor's face and back again.

Though Crichton couldn't hear it himself the manic pitch to his voice returned as he shook his head and said, "Jack, Jack, Jack you don't get D'argo. It's as simple as that." He didn't hear it but Daniel did. The primal need for fight or flight kicked in and Daniel's free hand reached up to try and scrabble with the fingers at his pulse-points Crichton laughed just a little as the arm ending in Winona came around in a gross approximation of a hug – Winona still steadily aimed at Jackson's head, "_None of that Danny-boy_," John whispered instinctively using Jack's nickname for the doctor. The hand on the doctor's neck gave another little shake as Jackson's fingers froze in place.

"Let Daniel go John," Jack said taking a slow step forward, arms raised to show empty palms, "You don't want to do this." At Jack's words Daniel's pulse-points slowed a fraction and the man seemed to come back to himself: his newly trapped arm relaxed again so John released it: it was easier to aim Winona with full motion anyway.

Somewhere to John's right Aeryn gave a soft snort as John replied, "You're right Jack: I don't want to do this." He motioned with Winona to the new guy, "Your General Dracula here wants to tear my best friend apart in the name of science. _And he hasn't even stood up at my wedding yet._ You tell me what I should do." From his tone Daniel would stake his collection of ancient do-dads that John really wanted someone to tell him what to do. Unfortunately for poor Daniel's racing heart Aeryn had clearly left John in charge and John didn't trust the SGC enough to listen to a word they said!

"We still have your friend in custody," the new general's voice was almost comically petulant, "And you are in the most heavily guarded base on Earth. You'll never get out of here alive." John always had liked a challenge!

The sudden whine of a pulse pistol's report rang through the small, crowded room. The interloping General fell to his knee with a cry of pain. Both his hands clenched tightly above a scorch on his right thigh. Jackson could feel John's lips fall to a frown for a fraction of a second before the stretched into a wide grin. Crichton's challenge was going his way!

Aeryn had moved forward slightly so Jackson could see the glare she sent the downed man over her pistol – the gun still trained on the poor man. Six guns snapped up in response. "Maybe you won't get out of here alive, _general._" The words dripped like ice water through the room. "Now give us D'argo and let us go. _Humans talk too much: I'm sick of it._" The stillness of the room was broken by Frasier and two nurses rushing cautiously forward to the felled man. Half a dozen voices broke out in orders ranging from 'give us Jackson' all the way to 'Frell off and die.' One voice broke above the rest, clear, calm and controlled.

"Quiet!" General Hammond's voice rose above the din, his request was filled almost instantly – even John's manic cackle cut off in the middle. The general surveyed the chaotic scene before him, "Doctor?" he asked Frasier.

"He's losing blood, sir, but he'll be fine." The doctor reported without looking up from her newest patient. The threat of immediate loss of life pushed to the side Hammond moved on.

"Airmen, marines stand down." There was only one protesting voice: the new recruit with a subtle 'sir?' "I said stand down Airman." Hammond repeated, his tone belaying comments and promising punishment for disobedience. All but the pulse pistols were returned to holsters.

"But, Sir-" started one of the two not-generals in dress blues, John didn't remember seeing them earlier. Some part of his brain thought that that oversight should worry him but he ignored it.

"Dr. Rhodes," Hammond cut him off at the start, "do not even think about questioning my orders." His voice cracked like a whip with a lack of patients that had John's grinning lips pulling back even farther – baring his teeth. Daniel saw that Jack was grinning too and, though he too enjoyed it when someone else was on the receiving end of the general's ire, he couldn't help but think there was a better time and place!

Watching General Hammond take charge did a little to calm Crichton: the man was clearly a leader and, from what SG-1 told the foreigners, on Crichton's side. He felt his hand at Jackson's throat relax a micron or two, there was no way that Jackson could break his grip before Winona went off but he would be in less discomfort now.

"We have a hostage situation here Dr. Rhodes," Hammond continued, "and General Forge had been shot. I see little choice but to let these people leave as they requested." Personally John saw about five other choices but he would check out this horse's dentures later.

"I can shoot him again if you want." Offered Aeryn sardonically. John cackled once at that before catching himself: he had to keep control, no episodes on Alternate Earth for Johnny-boy and Harvey.

"Ms. Sun, let's get one thing straight here," Hammond took a step towards the pair, his anger evident. "I may be sympathetic to your situation but I will not condone the shooting of any more people on my base!" His eyes bored into Aeyrn's who matched him stare for stare.

Rather than answer the general's inadvertent challenge Aeryn just said, "You're still standing between me and D'argo." Aeryn didn't blink but she must have surprised Hammond because he did.

"I'm not moving until Mr. Crichton releases Dr. Jackson. I give my word that you will be allowed to leave here unhindered." He sounded sincere but so did Scorpy from time to time, John felt his hand tighten around Jackson's neck again before he caught himself, "I assure you that nothing will lose my goodwill more quickly than holding my people at gunpoint." His eyes had left Aeryn and moved on to Crichton.

John didn't trust himself not to laugh so he was glad when Aeryn asked their one-word-loaded-question for him, "Jack?" one word so many interpretations, John hoped he got the meaning.

"His word is good, Aeryn," Jack said with a nod at Hammond.

John nodded his settlement as he and Aeryn lowered their weapons, "Alright, but we're not disarming." Came her clear voice.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that, Ms. Sun," Hammond said with an almost sad shake of his head, "I need a guarantee that my people will be safe."

"Jack can have 'em!" John's too loud exclamation startled no one more than himself as the room shifted its attention from Aeryn back to him. He was happy to hear no madness in the tone – just too much volume. He fully released Daniel and held Winona out to the good doctor butt first. It was only as Daniel's wide eyes stuttered from Winona to John that Crichton saw the dark bruises forming on his pale neck. He had lost himself. John could just kick himself but he settled on lowering his gaze in shame.

"Sorry about all this," he motioned to Jackson's neck as the man relieved him of Winona. He tried to keep the next bit between his teeth but it skipped out, "I'd do it again _if I had to_." It was low enough that he was pretty sure only Jackson heard him. Suddenly Jack was between his Daniel and the threat of Crichton and it didn't matter anymore.

"Thank you," General Hammond said breaking into Crichton's spiralling thoughts of self-loathing, "As soon as Dr. Frasier clears Mr. D'argo for gate travel, he may leave._ You can stay for as long as you like but he won't leave a minute before she clears it_. I'm afraid I'll have to keep the two of you under guard." He nodded to a pair of marines – the two from the corridor if Crichton remembered correctly – who nodded back and moved between Crichton, Aeryn and the door, "Dr. Rhodes, Dr. Dendron, if I might see you in my office." With a sharp glance at Jack the General left the infirmary trailed by the pair in dress blues. In short order the infirmary cleared of most people even the two marine-come guards – Crichton would bet all his food cubes they were just out in the hall. All that remained was SG-1 and three airmen in for post mission physicals. Crichton dimly noted that the airmen were still armed with the weird 'S' shaped guns SG-1 carried on missions. Zit or Zat maybe Zan something-or-others.

What felt to Crichton like an Arn passed before Daniel's hoarse voice crackled against the oppressive silence, "That was your back-up plan?" Frasier passed him a small cup of water which he downed in two gulps. As he tilted his head back to swallow John got a great view of the five clear, angry, red welts left by his fingers.

"yeah, More or less. It worked pretty well actually," he looked at his feet. He wouldn't apologise for the plan but he felt the need to say something, "_Sorry about the,_" he motioned to his own neck: his plan had been to hold the doctor in a head lock, not to choke him, "_I, ah, I lost myself for a minute there. It helps on Moya but normally when I do there aren't humans around: humans break easy..."_ He trailed off not sure what to say. Or if he had even said anything at all.

"Some plan." Jack cut in. He didn't seem the type to forgive quickly or easily.

"Well yours didn't work," Aeryn bit back.

"But did you have to take Daniel hostage?" The barely hidden anguish in Jack's eyes sent another wave of guilt crashing over Crichton. His eyes searched for support from Aeryn but his love was still tucked behind her peacekeeper rigidity.

"Jack." Came the raspy support from the last person Crichton expected.

"Daniel." Jack said as if he was talking to a child, "He had a gun to your head. _Look at your neck!_"

"I wouldn't have hurt him!" John broke in forgetting for a moment that he had.

"_He wouldn't have hurt me more Jack. He had already started to let me go: as soon as Hammond took control_." Luckily Daniel spoke up as John finished otherwise John thought that Jack would have punched him in the mouth.

Jack rounded on John, "You were bluffing?" his voice bellied his disbelief, "And what if my airmen called your bluff?" he demanded.

"I would have killed that General." Aeryn answered nonchalantly. The man in question just glared up at her from his bed by the far wall. Jack gave up and threw his hand in the air as Aeryn moved around the humans to stand by D'argo's bed. Crichton kept his counsel as he followed his love, he couldn't keep himself from thinking it though: If push came to shove there was a very good chance that in his manic state he would have shot Jackson – probably just in the leg or the foot but shot him all the same.


End file.
